Graves Disease

Cannabis is being explored as a complementary therapy for managing symptoms associated with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid gland, leading to hyperthyroidism. Cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, which may help reduce the autoimmune response that drives Graves' disease (Kaplan et al., 2003).

CBD's ability to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines could alleviate symptoms like swelling and discomfort caused by inflammation of the thyroid or surrounding tissues (Carrier et al., 2006). Additionally, cannabis has shown promise in reducing anxiety, tremors, and insomnia, which are common symptoms experienced by those with Graves' disease (Blessing et al., 2015).

Although cannabis cannot directly address the thyroid hormone imbalance characteristic of Graves' disease, it may offer symptomatic relief, enhancing the quality of life for patients. However, more research is needed to determine the long-term effects of cannabis use in this context, especially regarding its interaction with standard treatments like antithyroid medications and radioactive iodine therapy.

References

1. Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Cannabidiol as a potential treatment for anxiety and related disorders. Neurotherapeutics, 12(4), 825-836.
2. Carrier, E. J., Auchampach, J. A., & Hillard, C. J. (2006). Inhibition of an equilibrative nucleoside transporter by cannabidiol: a mechanism of cannabinoid immunosuppression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(20), 7895-7900.
3. Kaplan, B. L., Springs, A. E., & Kaminski, N. E. (2003). The profile of immune modulation by cannabidiol (CBD) involves deregulation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, 25(4), 431-441.
4. McPartland, J. M., & Guy, G. W. (2017). The evolution of cannabis and coevolution with the cannabinoid receptor—a hypothesis. Planta Medica, 83(12/13), 201-211.
5. Klein, T. W. (2005). Cannabinoid-based drugs as anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Nature Reviews Immunology, 5(5), 400-411.